On Tuesday, January 17, 2017 6:49:27 PM EST Michał Górny wrote:
>
> William, if you do not have anything to add to the topic at hand,
> please do not reply. Gentoo does not only consist of areas you care
> about, and dismissing anything unrelated to them is not helping anyone.

This is an area I do care about as it has effected me likely more than anyone. 
I am not sure anyone has tried to return for some 8+ years. Or the amount of 
attempts I have to return. During every attempt Comrel/Devrel has bee in the 
way. A problem they started years ago by getting involved when they need not.

Which is why I say rather than reform. Ditch entirely as it has been EXTREMELY 
harmful. Far beyond anything to do with myself personally.
 
> Furthermore, I should point out that the teams performing disciplinary
> actions can have strong influence on influx of developers. IRC, Forums
> are frequently the areas where the first contact between users
> and Gentoo community occurs, and with an unhealthy moderation team it
> could be the last.

I am quite aware. I have been moderated several times. I have seen the harm 
that protecting the community via moderation causes. The damage is far worse 
than what they seek to prevent in the first place.

> I'm talking both of the case when moderators abuse their power and ban
> users unnecessarily, and of the case when they do not keep the channels
> healthy and troublemakers discourage of users. In the end, the only
> people that really come to Gentoo are the bullies and the people who
> can withstand being bullied.

I believe allot of the moderation and issues I have faced were abuse of power 
and/or completely unnecessary. Most times policies and procedures are not 
followed. If nothing else, things were escalated that should have been de-
escalated. Problems created that spanned much longer than the problem seeking 
to be addressed. Creating bigger problems and not resolving the issues.

I am not sure anyone around Gentoo has been treated as poorly as I have. Very 
few would stick around for the punishment I get on the regular. With everyone 
saying do as I say, not as I do....

Not to mention questioning others social skills from people who clearly lack 
them to begin with. Most of the problem with Comrel/Devrel comes from having 
the wrong people involved. People that lack people skills, make no effort to 
establish or build personal relationships or anything of real benefit to 
problem resolution. Which is why problems get escalated and become much bigger 
and last for years. Assuming you know someone you do not.

-- 
William L. Thomson Jr.